Dominick Cruz

Last updated
Dominick Cruz
Dom Cruz 2.png
Cruz in 2017
BornDominick Rogelio Cruz
(1985-03-09) March 9, 1985 (age 39) [1]
San Diego, California, U.S.
NicknameThe Dominator
Height5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) [2]
Weight135 lb (61 kg; 9.6 st)
Division Bantamweight (2008–present)
Featherweight (2006–2008)
Lightweight (2005–2006)
Reach68 in (173 cm) [3]
Fighting out ofSan Diego, California, U.S.
Team Alliance MMA (2006–present) [4]
RankBlue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Lloyd Irvin [5]
Years active2005–present
Mixed martial arts record
Total28
Wins24
By knockout7
By submission1
By decision16
Losses4
By knockout2
By submission1
By decision1
Other information
Website dominickcruzmma.com
Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog

Dominick Rogelio Cruz [6] (born March 9, 1985) is an American professional mixed martial artist, sports analyst and commentator. [7] He currently competes in the Bantamweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is a former two-time UFC Bantamweight Champion. Cruz has also competed for World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC), and was the final WEC Bantamweight Champion.

Contents

Cruz is noted for his unorthodox movement, powerful wrestling base, quick striking, and his tendency to attack from angles in a fashion unlike any other fighter on the UFC roster. [8] He won the WEC bantamweight title in March 2010, and won the inaugural UFC Bantamweight Championship the following December. After defending the belt twice in 2011, Cruz was sidelined by injuries in 2012 and subsequently stripped of the title in 2014. On January 17, 2016, he regained the bantamweight championship with a split-decision win over T.J. Dillashaw. Numerous media outlets called this victory the greatest comeback story in MMA history. [9] [10]

Early life

Cruz was born in San Diego, California, [11] [12] and is of Mexican descent. [13] He lived with his single mother, grandmother, and brother in a trailer park in Tucson for most of his childhood. He started wrestling in seventh grade and competed all through high school out of Flowing Wells High School. [14] [15] After an injury that came in his senior year, he lost the opportunity of receiving a scholarship to wrestle at the University of Northern Colorado. [16] Cruz worked as a customer service representative at Lowe's, and was studying to be a firefighter at community college before becoming a full time fighter. [17]

Mixed martial arts career

Early career

Cruz began his professional mixed martial arts (MMA) career in 2005, competing in the Rage in the Cage and Total Combat organizations. He amassed a record of 9–0 before joining World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC). [18]

World Extreme Cagefighting

His first fight in the WEC was at featherweight at WEC   26 in a title fight against Urijah Faber in which he lost by guillotine choke in the first round. [19] The fight would become the beginning of a longstanding cantankerous rivalry between the two. [20]

Dominick Cruz after retaining his WEC Bantamweight Championship at the WEC 50 in August 2010 Dominick-cruz.jpg
Dominick Cruz after retaining his WEC Bantamweight Championship at the WEC 50 in August 2010

He would then make his debut for the WEC's 135 lb bantamweight division on June 7, 2008, at WEC   34 defeating Charlie Valencia by unanimous decision. [21]

Cruz went on to take decision victories against Ian McCall on January 25, 2009, at WEC   38 and April 5, 2009, Ivan Lopez at WEC 40. [22] [23] [24]

Cruz defeated Joseph Benavidez on August 9, 2009, at WEC   42 by unanimous decision. Both participants were awarded Fight of the Night honors. [25]

WEC Bantamweight Championship

Riding a four-fight win streak, Cruz was presented with a title shot against the reigning WEC Bantamweight Champion Brian Bowles. The bout took place at WEC   47 on March 6, 2010. [26] Cruz won the bout via TKO after Bowles was unable to continue after the second round after breaking his hand. Cruz became the new WEC Bantamweight Champion. [27]

Cruz made his first title defense against Joseph Benavidez on August 18, 2010, at WEC   50. [28] Cruz broke his left hand in the fight. [29] The bout was a rematch of their contest at WEC   42, in which Cruz handed Benavidez his first career loss, via decision. Cruz defeated Benavidez again via split decision and retained his title. [30]

Cruz faced Scott Jorgensen on December 14, 2010, at WEC   53 for both the WEC Bantamweight Championship and the newly created UFC Bantamweight Championship. [31] This bout would be the final Bantamweight Championship fight under the WEC banner and would also crown the inaugural UFC Bantamweight champion, making this the only UFC title fight to take place outside of the UFC. [32] Cruz defeated Jorgensen via unanimous decision to retain the WEC Bantamweight Championship and become the first UFC Bantamweight Champion. [33]

Ultimate Fighting Championship

Bantamweight Championship

On October 28, 2010, World Extreme Cagefighting merged with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). As part of the merger, all WEC fighters were transferred to the UFC. [34]

A rematch with Urijah Faber took place on July 2, 2011, at UFC   132 being the first defense of the new UFC Bantamweight title. [35] In a closely contested fight which saw Faber drop Cruz multiple times with strikes and Cruz landing multiple leg\body kicks, knees and takedowns, Cruz defeated Faber via unanimous decision to retain his championship and avenge the only loss on his record at that time. [36] [37]

Cruz defeated Demetrious Johnson via unanimous decision on October 1, 2011, at UFC on Versus   6, his second UFC title defense. Cruz broke his right hand in the first round. [29] [38] Cruz was expected to face Urijah Faber for a third time for the UFC bantamweight championship after Faber defeated Brian Bowles at UFC   139 in a bantamweight title eliminator bout. [39]

String of injuries

In December 2011, Cruz was selected to coach The Ultimate Fighter: Live against opposing coach Urijah Faber. [40] The rubber match between Cruz and Faber was expected to take place on July 7, 2012, at UFC   148. [41] However, on May 7, 2012, Cruz was forced to pull out of the bout citing a torn ACL. [42]

On December 3, 2012, it was revealed that Cruz underwent another ACL surgery after his body rejected one from a cadaver, with an expected recovery time of six to nine months. [43]

Cruz was scheduled to make his return on February 1, 2014, at UFC 169 in a unification bout with interim UFC Bantamweight Champion Renan Barão. [44] However, on a January 6 episode of SportsCenter , UFC president Dana White announced that Dominick Cruz had torn his groin and vacated the UFC Bantamweight Championship; White promoted Barão to undisputed UFC Bantamweight Champion, and announced that Barão's first unified title defense would be against Urijah Faber at UFC   169. [45]

After nearly three years away from the sport due to injuries, Cruz returned to the octagon on September 27, 2014, at UFC   178 where he faced Takeya Mizugaki. [46] Cruz won the fight by KO in the first round by punches after getting a takedown. [47] The win also earned Cruz his first Performance of the Night bonus award. [48] At the post-fight press conference, Dana White confirmed that Cruz's next fight would be for the Bantamweight Championship against T.J. Dillashaw.

Subsequently, on December 22, 2014, Cruz indicated that he had torn the ACL in his other knee, which sidelined him through 2015. [49]

Regaining the championship

After over four years since his last title fight, Cruz faced T.J. Dillashaw on January 17, 2016, at UFC Fight Night 81. He regained the title with a split-decision victory. [50] Both participants were awarded Fight of the Night honors. [51] Many have cited the return and victory as one of the greatest comebacks in MMA history. [9] [10]

To complete their trilogy, Cruz defended his title against Urijah Faber on June 4, 2016, at UFC   199. He won the fight by unanimous decision. [52]

Injuries and losing the title

Cruz faced Cody Garbrandt on December 30, 2016, at UFC   207. After getting knocked down multiple times during the bout, Cruz lost the bout by unanimous decision. [53] This was the first loss for Cruz in nearly 10 years. [54] Months later, on The Joe Rogan Experience, Cruz revealed that he was plagued by plantar fascia tendinitis throughout training camp that made it difficult for him to walk at times. [55]

Cruz was expected to face Jimmie Rivera on December 30, 2017, at UFC   219, however, on November 8, it was reported Cruz suffered a broken arm and he was forced to pull from the card. [56]

Cruz was expected to face John Lineker on January 26, 2019 at UFC   233. [57] It was reported on December 11, 2018 that Cruz injured his shoulder and pulled out of the fight. [58] Subsequently, Cruz indicated that he expects to be out of competition for another year. [59]

After more than a 3 year-layoff, Cruz replaced José Aldo and faced Henry Cejudo for the UFC Bantamweight Championship on May 9, 2020 at UFC   249. [60] Cruz lost via TKO in the second round. [61]

Cruz faced Casey Kenney on March 6, 2021 at UFC   259. [62] He won the fight via split decision. [63]

Cruz faced Pedro Munhoz on December 11, 2021 at UFC   269. [64] He won the fight via unanimous decision despite getting knocked down twice during the opening round. [65] The bout earned the Fight of the Night bonus award. [66]

Cruz faced Marlon Vera on August 13, 2022 at UFC on ESPN   41. [67] He lost the fight by knockout via a head kick in round four. [68]

After over a two year absence, Cruz is scheduled to face Rob Font on February 22, 2025, at UFC Fight Night 252. [69]

Fighting style

Considered to be one of the best MMA fighters of his generation, Cruz combines constant lateral motion with precise, in-and-out striking. [8] [70] Known as one of the most agile fighters in MMA, he is noted for his quick footwork, head movement, and use of feints. He often attacks with combinations, step-in jabs, and single strikes thrown from all angles. [8] [70] In addition to his striking, Cruz has extensive training in amateur wrestling. [15]

Championships and accomplishments

Mixed martial arts record

Professional record breakdown
28 matches24 wins4 losses
By knockout72
By submission11
By decision161
Res.RecordOpponentMethodEventDateRoundTimeLocationNotes
Loss24–4 Marlon Vera KO (head kick) UFC on ESPN: Vera vs. Cruz August 13, 202242:17 San Diego, California, United States
Win24–3 Pedro Munhoz Decision (unanimous) UFC 269 December 11, 202135:00 Las Vegas, Nevada, United StatesFight of the Night.
Win23–3 Casey Kenney Decision (split) UFC 259 March 6, 202135:00 Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Loss22–3 Henry Cejudo TKO (knee and punches) UFC 249 May 9, 202024:58 Jacksonville, Florida, United StatesFor the UFC Bantamweight Championship.
Loss22–2 Cody Garbrandt Decision (unanimous) UFC 207 December 30, 201655:00 Las Vegas, Nevada, United StatesLost the UFC Bantamweight Championship. Fight of the Night.
Win22–1 Urijah Faber Decision (unanimous) UFC 199 June 4, 201655:00 Inglewood, California, United StatesDefended the UFC Bantamweight Championship.
Win21–1 T.J. Dillashaw Decision (split) UFC Fight Night: Dillashaw vs. Cruz January 17, 201655:00 Boston, Massachusetts, United StatesWon the UFC Bantamweight Championship. Fight of the Night.
Win20–1 Takeya Mizugaki KO (punches) UFC 178 September 27, 201411:01 Las Vegas, Nevada, United StatesPerformance of the Night.
Win19–1 Demetrious Johnson Decision (unanimous) UFC Live: Cruz vs. Johnson October 1, 201155:00 Washington D.C., United StatesDefended the UFC Bantamweight Championship. Cruz vacated the title on January 6, 2014 due to recurring injuries.
Win18–1 Urijah Faber Decision (unanimous) UFC 132 July 2, 201155:00 Las Vegas, Nevada, United StatesDefended the UFC Bantamweight Championship. Fight of the Night.
Win17–1 Scott Jorgensen Decision (unanimous) WEC 53 December 16, 201055:00 Glendale, Arizona, United StatesDefended the WEC Bantamweight Championship. Won the inaugural UFC Bantamweight Championship.
Win16–1 Joseph Benavidez Decision (split) WEC 50 August 18, 201055:00 Las Vegas, Nevada, United StatesDefended the WEC Bantamweight Championship.
Win15–1 Brian Bowles TKO (doctor stoppage) WEC 47 March 6, 201025:00 Columbus, Ohio, United StatesWon the WEC Bantamweight Championship.
Win14–1 Joseph Benavidez Decision (unanimous) WEC 42 August 9, 200935:00 Las Vegas, Nevada, United StatesFight of the Night.
Win13–1Iván LópezTechnical Decision (unanimous) WEC 40 April 5, 200933:24 Chicago, Illinois, United StatesLopez was unable to continue after an unintentional knee on the ground by Cruz.
Win12–1 Ian McCall Decision (unanimous) WEC 38 January 25, 200935:00 San Diego, California, United States
Win11–1 Charlie Valencia Decision (unanimous) WEC 34 June 1, 200835:00 Sacramento, California, United StatesBantamweight debut.
Win10–1Kenneth AimesKO (punches)Total Combat 27March 22, 20081N/A Yuma, Arizona, United States
Loss9–1 Urijah Faber Submission (guillotine choke) WEC 26 March 24, 200711:38 Las Vegas, Nevada, United StatesFor the WEC Featherweight Championship.
Win9–0Shad SmithDecision (unanimous)Total Combat 18November 4, 200635:00 San Diego, California, United StatesFeatherweight debut. Won the vacant Total Combat Featherweight Championship.
Win8–0Juan MirandaSubmission (rear-naked choke)Total Combat 16September 9, 200614:00 San Diego, California, United StatesWon the vacant Total Combat Lightweight Championship.
Win7–0Dave HisquierdoDecision (split)Total Combat 15July 15, 200635:00 San Diego, California, United States
Win6–0Michael BarneyTKO (punches)Rage in the Cage 79February 24, 200612:45 Tucson, Arizona, United States
Win5–0Nick HedrickDecision (unanimous)Rage in the Cage 75September 30, 200532:00 Glendale, Arizona, United States
Win4–0Josh DonahueTKO (punches)Rage in the Cage 74September 10, 200521:09 Casa Grande, Arizona, United States
Win3–0Tom SchwagerTKO (punches)Rage in the Cage 73August 6, 200510:56 Glendale, Arizona, United States
Win2–0Rosco McClellanTKO (punches)Rage in the Cage 70June 11, 200521:26 Glendale, Arizona, United States
Win1–0Eddie CastroDecision (split)Rage in the Cage 67January 29, 200533:00 Phoenix, Arizona, United States

[86]

Pay-per-view bouts

No.EventFightDateVenueCityPPV Buys
1. UFC 132 Cruz vs. Faber 2July 2, 2011 MGM Grand Garden Arena Las Vegas, Nevada 350,000 [87]

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References

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  64. ↑ Shelton, Cole (2021-09-30). "Dominick Cruz returns at UFC 269 against top-10 bantamweight Pedro Munhoz". | BJPenn.com. Retrieved 2021-09-30.
  65. ↑ Behunin, Alex (2021-12-11). "UFC 269: Dominick Cruz Survives Near-Finish, Then Styles On Pedro Munhoz". Cageside Press. Retrieved 2021-12-13.
  66. 1 2 Newswire (2021-12-12). "UFC 269 bonuses: Dana White feeling generous, 8 fighters get $50,000 checks". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2021-12-12.
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  68. ↑ Dewar, Val (2022-08-13). "UFC San Diego: Marlon Vera Puts Down Dominick Cruz with Blistering Head Kick". Cageside Press. Retrieved 2022-08-15.
  69. ↑ Ross Markey (2025-01-06). "Report - Dominick Cruz Books Fighting Return In UFC Seattle Co Main Event In February". www.lowkickmma.com. Retrieved 2025-01-06.
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  71. ↑ UFC (August 18, 2023). "UFC Bantamweight - Leaders". UFC.
  72. ↑ "UFC Fight Night 81 bonuses: Cruz, Dillashaw, Herman, Sanders pocket $50K checks". sherdog.com. 2016-01-17.
  73. ↑ "UFC 207 bonuses: Nunes, Garbrandt, Cruz, Garcia receive $50K awards". sherdog.com. 2016-12-30.
  74. ↑ "UFC 178 bonuses: McGregor, Cruz, Romero, Kennedy earn $50K rewards". sherdog.com. 2014-09-27.
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  87. ↑ "UFC 132: Cruz vs Faber II | MMA Event".
Awards and achievements
Preceded by 5th WEC Bantamweight Champion
March 6, 2010 – December 16, 2010		Succeeded by
Became UFC Champion
New title 1st UFC Bantamweight Champion
December 16, 2010 – January 6, 2014
Vacated		Succeeded by
Renan Barão
Promoted
Preceded by 4th UFC Bantamweight Champion
January 17, 2016 – December 30, 2016		Succeeded by
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